Violence at Muktsar jail: Inmates thrash guards, snatch keys and attack rival group with rods; 4 hospitalised

The Muktsar Sadar police have booked 23 inmates after a clash broke out between two factions at the district jail here on Friday evening. Four of them have been admitted to Muktsar Civil Hospital. During the clash, the inmates thrashed a jail employee, tore his uniform, and confined another.

According to a complaint filed by Assistant Superintendent Nachhattar Singh, the incident was initiated by inmates in Block 6. A group, led by prisoners Gurmeet Singh, alias ‘Meeta’, and Baljinder Singh, alias ‘Gandhi’, allegedly assaulted guard Rana Singh and forcibly took his keys.

After freeing more inmates, they locked the guard inside the block and proceeded towards the de-addiction barrack to attack a rival group, he stated in the FIR.

“The attackers used an iron rod to break the lock of the de-addiction block. When another guard, Rajvir Singh, attempted to intervene, he was also assaulted and his uniform was torn. The group then attacked the targeted inmates with two iron rods and a sharp weapon, causing injuries. The situation escalated further when associates of the targeted group also tried to break out of their barracks to retaliate, leading to a riot,” read the FIR.

Jail officials, including Assistant Superintendents Varinder Kumar, Sukhmander Singh, and Nachhattar Singh, rushed to the scene after an alarm was raised and brought the situation under control, securing all inmates back in their barracks.

 Inspector Varun Yadav, SHO, Muktsar Sadar police station, said that a case has been lodged and four injured inmates have been admitted to the local civil hospital.